MOP voting can be tough

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IAN BUSBY, QMI Agency

When it comes to outstanding performances on a CFL team, which is more important: The thrower or the catcher?

There were voters in two cities pondering that question as team balloting was cast this weekend.

In Hamilton, the Tiger-Cats have two legitimate East Division most outstanding player contenders in quarterback Kevin Glenn and receiver Arland Bruce.

Without Bruce this weekend against the Calgary Stampeders, the Ticats offence went ice cold and Glenn threw for just 88 yards. The award is for most outstanding, not most valuable, but there has to be some credence given to an offence that is driven by one player more than the other.

The same applies to the Stamps, who will have QB Henry Burris and receiver Nik Lewis as one-two in MOP voting this season. When Lewis skipped a game in September, the Stamps offence tanked.

With 37 TD passes, Burris would be a shoo-in for West Division nominee as long as he gets the nod from his own team.

OPENING DRIVE

For the record, our picks for top awards are Henry Burris (Calgary) and Anthony Calvillo (Montreal) for West and East Division MOP; Andy Fantuz (Saskatchewan) and Dave Stala (Hamilton) for top Canadian; Solomon Elimimian (B.C.) and Marcus Thigpen (Hamilton) for top rookie; Yonus Davis (B.C.) and Chad Owens (Toronto) for special teams; Ben Archibald (Calgary) and Rob Murphy (Toronto) for top linemen; and Juwan Simpson (Calgary) and Markeith Knowlton (Hamilton) for defence … The weekly NFL Network broadcast last week was the wild one between Montreal and Toronto, which finished on a missed field goal, punt out, punt back in, punt out touchdown return. Try explaining that one to a first-time CFL viewer.

ENDZONE TOSS

Bombers DE Phillip Hunt has put together an amazing season. He has a streak of 10 games with at least one sack, which is a league record, and will surely win the sack title. Only two previous teams (Saskatchewan 1983, Vince Goldsmith, and Memphis 1995, Tim Cofield) have missed the playoffs with the league’s sack master … The Ticats need a victory over B.C. for their 10th win, a total they would hit for the first since time since 2001. In the past 25 seasons, the Ticat have just five 10-win campaigns … Daniel Porter is opening some eyes in Edmonton. The running back has three straight 100-yard games, the first Eskimo to do that since John Avery in 2002 … Lions DE Brent Johnson set the franchise sack record in great style, dropping Darian Durant to seal a win over the Riders Sunday. More impressive is it came in Johnson’s 166th consecutive game.

EXTRA POINTS

Argos KR Chad Owens is on the verge of some team records, and he should do it against the club that traded him this spring (Montreal). Owens needs 10 punt-return yards to break Pinball Clemons’ 1,070 set in 1997, while he needs 41 kickoff return yards to best Dominique Dorsey’s 1,257 in 2008 … Stamps R Romby Bryant has 14 receiving TDs this season after getting none last year. He had nine in 2008, so does that mean he will go dry again next season? … University of Calgary Dinos kicker Aaron Ifield, who set the CIS record for field goals this weekend, is now on Hamilton’s neg list after being dropped by the Bombers. Winnipeg is obviously happy with the job Justin Palardy has done … The Bombers have possession of the first pick in next spring’s Canadian draft, the first time they’ve had it since 1975.